


Sofia

by intomymindspace (cryswinches)



Series: Through the Summer and the Fall [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Among Us (Video Game) Setting, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Space Opera, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate universe - Mafia, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending, Kitsune Kuroo Tetsurou, M/M, Major Character Injury, Mentions of Sex, Minor Character Death, Nine Lives, Other, Pining, Reincarnation, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-19 09:34:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29748501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryswinches/pseuds/intomymindspace
Summary: For eight short lives, you and Kuroo have loved each other. On your ninth, you are finally able to see it out to the end.Season: SummerSong: Sofia by Clairo
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Series: Through the Summer and the Fall [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2186154
Comments: 3
Kudos: 25





	Sofia

**Author's Note:**

> this took hella effort, and I even submitted the among us portion for a creative paper for my college religion/literature... and I got a 63. a 63. for a creative paper. n e ways.

_I think we could do it if we tried_

_If only to say, you’re mine_

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

**One**

Resistance to the Republic was futile, you learned, at the end of all things. During your first life, you learn that the world is cruel. It spares no lives, and it certainly doesn’t spare your heart. The universe worked in ways that even in the year of 8724, technology still couldn’t crack its deepest and darkest secrets.

Soulmates were one of those things that the universe clutched onto with all its claws.

In this life, you couldn’t help but be cynical. What was the use of spending your life with someone if you didn’t find out until your deathbed if you were soulmates? There was no point in falling in love - especially during a civil war that spanned across half the galaxy. You already lost countless comrades, heroes, and friends - it wasn’t worth your time when you were next in line.

Your copilot was a cocky bastard - and you hated almost every fiber of his being. You hated his mask of arrogance, the way he flew, and all his flirtatious comments. You hated how he winked at you during mission briefings, and you hated how his stupid hairstyle stayed in place even after he took his helmet off. But most of all, you hated the way he made you feel - not that it was something you would ever be able to admit. You hated how annoyed he made you feel, and how much you looked forward to the daily banter. And despite all that, you trusted him above everyone else.

The news of the Republic ships swarming the base came too late - by the time that the alarms had sounded, the jet hangar had already been barraged by torpedoes. The priority was to buy time for the commanding officers to find a way out. As you sat behind the makeshift cover, your pistol in hand, Kuroo was surprisingly silent next to you. The main hall was barricaded as much as possible, but the sounds of the opposing troops were only getting louder and louder - the doors would be breached soon.

You knew that these were most likely your final moments - and all you could do was think about the one thing you despised the most. You couldn’t help but apologize to your soulmate, whoever they were. Despite a whole lifetime of you not caring, you hated that somewhere out there, a person would die because the universe connected the two of you for all of your lives.

“Do you think I could get that kiss?” His baritone whisper brought you out of your thoughts. You shot him a glare as you answered.

“What kiss?” He couldn’t help but chuckle, even as the noises of explosives and shots grew louder and louder.

“You said the only time you’d kiss me is if we were on our deathbeds.” He sighed, turning his head to the side to look into your eyes as he gave you a smile. “We’re on our deathbeds right now, aren’t we?” As your cheeks flared up, you turned your face away.

“Fuck off,” you muttered, busying yourself with checking your pistol charge. Only he could laugh at a time like this. You could tell he wanted to say more, but there was only silence as the impending booms began to rattle the doors.

“Just… let me say thank you. I’m glad that I’m with you, at the end of all things.” You turned once again to face him, only to find a look in his eyes that you couldn’t quite read. When he put his hand over yours, you did nothing to pull away. All you could do was squeeze his rough hand in return.

Before you could understand what happened, you found yourself against the wall in the corner of the hall, barely regaining consciousness. The sounds of pain and shots being exchanged were endless. You couldn’t feel anything below your stomach, and you were too focused on Kuroo, who was just a few feet away, coughing up blood.

“What happened?” Your voice was hoarse and weak, but it was loud enough for Kuroo to turn towards you. You didn’t understand why there were tears in his eyes as he crawled towards you.

“Do you think you could stay with me? We can make it to the emergency ships if we - ” he had to turn away as he spit up more blood.

“Why are you doing that? Idiot, you don’t look injured.” It was your turn to cough - and as you brought your hands down, you found them painted in blood. When you pulled your hands away, you found a large piece of metal lodged into your abdomen.

“You fuckin’ idiot.” Kuroo couldn’t help but chuckle as he brought a hand up to your face. “It’s your fault that I’m dying too, you know.” There were tears falling down his cheeks, leaving streaks amidst the grime.

It had been him all along, and you couldn’t help but feel guilt rise in your chest. Or maybe, it was more blood that you were about to cough up. As he moved to lean against the wall next to you, he gently pulled you into his arms.

“I’m sorry.” Was all you could muster up. Despite being on the brink of death, Kuroo felt warm and safe.

“You better be. I had to drag your sorry ass all the way back here ‘nd away from all the action.”

“Shut up, it’s your fault for caring.” You liked the way his chest seemed to vibrate against your ear as he choked out a laugh. “Maybe… if things were different…” You could feel yourself getting sleepy again.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get a kiss from you in the next life.”

It was a miracle that reinforcements from the nearest base managed to save the day. As comrades swept through, looking for survivors, they only found the two of you, lifeless, in each other’s embrace.

_I think we could do it if we tried_

_If only to say, you’re mine_

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

**Two**

You tried your best to hide your giggles as you ran down the halls of the castle. Your footsteps were light, and Kuroo’s hand was warm as it clutched yours. Lightly, he pinned you against your bedroom door, the only light coming from a wall sconce near the end of the hallway. You felt him smile as he placed hot kisses down your neck, his hands traveling up and down your torso.

“Kuroo, wait until we get inside, someone might see.” Although you tried to come off serious, there was a smitten smile on your face as you playfully pushed him away. At times like this, you were thankful that your chambers were secluded, and that it was the middle of night during a large celebration - your older brother’s birthday, no less.

“Oh?” There was a mischievous grin that graced his lips. “Are you afraid that some scoundrel from the party may try to seduce you?”

“Oh, heavens, yes! I am absolutely terrified at the fact.” His breath was hot against your ear, and you shivered when he kissed the tender spot just below it.

“Fret not, your highness. It is my sworn duty as your guard to protect you.” Kuroo’s lips met yours with a hungry desire for more.

As you stepped onto your balcony, you leaned against the railing. The sky was clear that night, and you could still hear the sounds of music. The moon may have been high in the sky, but the ministrations were still going strong, it seemed. There was a crisp breeze in the air, making you shiver as you pulled your top tighter around you in an attempt to warm up.

Strong, warm arms wrapped around your chest and waist, and pulled you into a muscular chest. You sighed, leaning into Kuroo as he kissed the crown of your head lovingly.

“Will you be able to stay tonight?” You asked, closing your eyes.

“If that is what you ask of me, I will.” Turning around to face him, you sent him a playful pout. His hands were warm and rough, but they still sent tingles up your spine as he caressed your back through the thin fabric of your nightwear.

“Do you want to?” Kuroo let out an amused sigh before placing a light kiss on your nose.

“Is that even a question you must ask? Of course I do.”

“Good.” You smiled as you snuggled into his bare chest, placing kisses under his collarbone.

“Though, I will have to leave before the sun rises, I’m afraid.” He had duties after all, as your bodyguard. Looking up at him, you smiled at Kuroo sweetly as you placed a hand on his cheek.

“As long as you wake me up before you go.” He placed his hand on top of yours, and he turned to place a kiss on the pulse point of your wrist.

“Of course.” His eyes flickered to meet yours, and you flushed at the bedroom eyes he gave you. His other hand began to push the loose material of your top off your shoulder, his fingers leaving trails of fire across your exposed skin. “It’ll be quite a while until dawn, your highness.” You let out a shaky breath as Kuroo leaned down, his hot breath ghosting over the already darkening marks he had left earlier on your body. He placed a loving kiss in the crook of your neck before straightening up to look back down at you.

“Do you have any ideas on what we should do to occupy our time until then?” You wrapped your arms around his back and massaged at the taut muscles before replying.

“I have a few ideas.” Your voice was playful, and Kuroo sighed as he brought a hand up to cup your jaw. Leaning down once more, Kuroo closed the distance between the both of you as his lips captured yours in a passionate manner. Before the kiss deepened, he pulled away to rest his forehead against yours.

“I love you.”

“And I you, my love.” With your reply, your legs were quickly swept into the air as he picked you up, carrying you back into your chambers.

The next day, business went as normal. You spent most of the day in the library reading away. As the younger child, your father found no need for you to learn how to run a kingdom. You could care less for the gross politics of the country - and you were grateful that it wasn’t something you’d be forced to learn. You heard the doors to the library open, your brother walking towards you.

“Father is asking for us in the courtyard, he says it’s important.” Closing your book, you rose from the lounge and began to follow him.

“I wonder what it could be,” he mused, bumping his shoulder against yours. “Maybe he’ll finally gift me our grandfather’s sword.” You laughed at his teasing. Despite being brought up with different purposes, you and your brother remained close.

“Maybe it’s a visiting family with another daughter he’ll want to try to marry you off to.” He sighed as you said that, making you roll your eyes.

“You think?”

“Too bad you scare them all away.” Your teasing earned you a playful ruffle to your hair.

As the two of you walked into the courtyard, you were greeted by your parents, the royal advisors, as well as a few guards.

“Darling,” your mother started, “what is this all about?” She asked the question that you and your brother both had in mind. Your father only kept the stern look on his face.

“Bring him!” Your heart dropped as soon as you heard a muffled voice from being forced into your vision. There were tears stinging your eyes as a beaten and bruised Kuroo was thrown in front of everyone, just meters away from you. As Kuroo struggled to get out of the grip of the guards, one kicked him down.

“Father! What is the meaning of this?” Your brother asked - you could tell by the sound of his voice that he was disturbed. You found yourself in shock, unable to think, unable to move as your eyes met your lover’s.

“Kuroo has gone against his duty, and has betrayed the kingdom.” Your father turned to you, grabbing your arm tightly. “He has tainted and corrupted our youngest child.” Your eyes widened as the tears began to spill - you tried pulling away from your father, but his grip was strong and bruising.

“Bring out the block.” Your eyes had never faltered from Kuroo’s, and you saw his eyes widen, tears spilling from them as well.

“Father, stop, this is madness!” Your brother knew of your escapades with your personal bodyguard, but he also knew of the love and the care the both of you had for one another. He often saw to making excuses to help you get away in order to spend more time with Kuroo without it being suspicious. “Kuroo has done no such thing!”

Your father’s eyes were riddled with rage as he said nothing. There was no amount of pleading that your mother or your brother could do to change his mind. As his grip only tightened on your arm, your knees buckled at the pain and at the sight of guards bringing an executioner’s block, placing it right in front of Kuroo.

“Father, please!” You begged, as you tired with no avail to escape his grasp. “Please, spare him! I cannot live with his death, please! Don’t kill him.” You were sobbing uncontrollably, your knees rubbing painfully into the pavement underneath. Kuroo was yanked up onto his knees by his hair, and a guard removed the gag that was in his mouth. His chest heaved as he tried to calm his erratic heart.

“Do you have any last words, traitor?”

“Father, please - ” as you began to plead again, he let go of your arm and slapped your face, making Kuroo attempt again to break from his restraints.

“You bastard! Don’t you dare - ” Kuroo was kicked in the side once more, making him double over in pain as he cried out, before being pulled up by the hair once more.

“If that’s all, go on with the execution.” You screamed and begged, but your brother held you back in an attempt to comfort you. Kuroo fought and struggled as he was forced down to meet the chopping block, his eyes never leaving yours.

“I’ll find you in the next life, I swear on my dying breath!” You sobbed as he spoke his final words, an axe aimed at his neck. “I love y- ” he was not able to complete his sentence as the life faded from his eyes.

You fell slack against your brother’s arms, your eyes open, devoid of life. He screamed as he tried to wake you, but it was to no avail. Kuroo was your soulmate, after all. Your mother screamed in horror as she clutched your dead body, her eyes meeting your father’s. His eyes were wide in shock.

“What have you done?”

_You know_

_I’ll do anything you ask me to_

_But oh my god_

_I think I’m in love with you_

**Three**

If someone from the future were to have told the kitsune that he was going to fall in love with a human, he would’ve killed them for sure. How could Kuroo, the infamous, vicious, wild fox, village-raider, and rogue, possibly fall in love with a human?

Kuroo cursed Kenma, wherever his previous master was. Not only did the land god abandon the shrine ~~and him~~ nearly sixty years ago, but he made you, a mere human, the inheritor of his powers, his duties, his contracts, and his shrine. Kuroo wasn’t surprised that Kenma had taken pity on you - his master was notorious in wanting to help anyone in need, despite the uncaring attitude he gave off. After learning that you had lost your father to the ongoing war, and were turned away from your grandparents, Kenma blessed you with a home to stay at - as well as burdened you with this new life.

But of course, to Kuroo’s dismay, it didn’t seem like a burden to you at all. By divine will, his familiar contract had passed to you from Kenma as well, and he had no choice but to help you. You were happy to finally have a home and it seemed that you were content with and excelling in taking over the duties as the new land god of the region.

If Kenma could see where Kuroo was at now, the fox was sure that his master would’ve laughed at him. While obviously, as a familiar of the shrine, he had his normal duties of maintenance and upkeep that he couldn’t ignore - and as your familiar, he had to take care of you and your wellbeing. There were a lot of things Kuroo didn’t actually have to do - he didn’t have to teach you how to wield your new powers, he didn’t have to cook your favorite dishes, he didn’t have to enchant your baths, and he certainly didn’t have to accompany you every time you went into town. While, as his master, you had the power to will him to do those things, he found himself doing things because he wanted to, and going along even when you had just simply asked.

In all his four hundred years of existence, Kuroo had yet to understand why, out of all people, it had been you that showed him how to love.

He wished that it was just your looks that had attracted him to you. Kuroo had fallen in love with the way the summer fireworks reflected in your eyes. He couldn’t help but stare when the last rays of the sun hit your face just right - making you glow. You always looked good in every yukata you wore, no matter how ugly or beautiful he thought the patterning was.

No, it had been more than just your looks, as much as he hated to admit it to himself. It was the way you smiled at small children when they visited the shrine, giving them candy and telling them stories. It was the way you were driven to always help the worshippers who came to the shrine asking for matchmaking help, the way you smiled when you had your favorite ice cream flavor, and the seconds after when you complained about having a brain freeze.

When a rivaling god made him sick, you took care of him and made his favorite food. And when she had tried to force him to become her familiar after dismantling your contract, instead of giving up, you stormed into her shrine and overpowered her. That night, after the both of you finally returned to your shrine, Kuroo was the one that had asked you to make him your familiar once more.

That night, as you kissed him under the moonlight to resolidify the contract, he realized that he loved you.

Kuroo didn’t have the heart to tell you - after all, he was a yokai. To marry a human was taboo, for he was an otherworldly being, and you were mortal. You would die before the end of the century, and he would continue to live, alone as he wandered the shrine he had sworn to protect.

However, when Daishou attacked the shrine, eating your heart in an attempt to win his old friend back, Kuroo finally understood - he had finally found you. As his fox fire dimmed, and as the godly presence began to dissipate from the shrine, Kuroo wondered if telling you would’ve made a difference.

After sixty-one years, Kenma walked into the godless shrine he used to call home. No familiar would be greeting him that night - just the sight of a lifeless black fox who had sought its last moments of comfort by its dead master.

_Standing here alone now_

_Think that we can drive around_

_I just want to say_

_How I love you with your hair down_

**Four**

Your fourth life was nothing special. From a young age, it was always routine. After finishing primary school, you apprenticed under the head botanist of your lunar colony. Every day, you would wake up, eat breakfast in the mess hall, work in the greenhouse, eat lunch, head back to the greenhouse, eat dinner, find something to do with your free time, and then sleep. It was never exciting, and it was never boring. However, when you had been chosen as one of the ten crewmates that would embark on the nine-month journey to establish the first colony on Mars, you finally thought things would be changing. They did.

You first met Kuroo during crew introductions - he was the head chemist, and you were told that you would spend a lot of your time working with him. While it would be your job to monitor, care for, and harvest the plants in the greenhouse, a main part of his job was to analyze your plants and help cultivate ones that would benefit the crew - and eventually the Mars colony - more.

It took three months of space travel for Kuroo to break you out of your shell. While he was from the main lunar colony, you were from a smaller branch a few hundred kilometers away. Being one of the few children in that colony, you weren’t as familiar to having friends as he was. But, perhaps, that was why the council saw it fit to put the two of you together - after all, not only were you both talented scientists, but you both had the ability to draw out good qualities from one another while being crucial, reliable crewmates.

It was only when the halfway point of the journey hit, did things go downhill.

“Lt. Kuroo’s Log 147, stardate 2293.08.16. The lieutenant and I are preparing to analyze the most recent data of the ongoing experiment we are conducting on the effects of adding ammonium nitrate to the fertilizer of the experimental plants.” Looking away from the computer, Kuroo found you staring into one of the microscopes. He called your name, making you look up.

“I don’t think we should trust the atoms.” He said, a serious look on his face. You furrowed your eyebrows in response.

“Why not? I thought we were given the okay to experiment with the nitrate as long as it was for fertilizer purposes only.” Kuroo only grinned.

“Why not? Because they make up everything.” It took you a couple of seconds to catch his joke, and you rolled your eyes. Before you could respond, the emergency alarm blared, the lights flashing red as the intercom announced an emergency meeting in the mess hall. He gave you a concerned look as the two of you exit the lab quietly, making your way through the halls and into the mess hall.

Ushijima stood at the head of the table, waiting for everyone to gather around. As everyone sat down, you noticed an empty spot at the end of the table.

“Captain, should we wait for Daishou before we start? He’s not here yet, and I don’t think he’d - ”

“No. Daishou is dead. Daichi found his body in the hallway between the lower engine and the electrical.” Your eyes widened in shock, and you were unable to say anything. “Normally, there is a procedure that must be followed when a crew member dies from an accident. However, there is no procedure to follow when a crew member has been murdered.”

“What do you mean ‘murdered,’ captain?” Kuroo asked, his eyebrows furrowed, an angry look in his eyes.

“Daishou received a stab wound to the heart. His body is currently in the medical bay, and will remain there until a complete investigation and examination is completed.”

“What are we going to do?” It was Bokuto who asked, his eyes wide and full of fear.

“I am still waiting to hear back from mission control. I have debriefed them on the current situation, and they are conducting a meeting just as we are right now. Once I dismiss everyone, we will walk as a group to personal chambers. Until I receive a reply, no one is to leave their rooms. Understood?” Some of the men muttered a yes sir, while you and a few others could only manage to nod.

“It is vital that we cooperate with each other right now. For the time being, I will not condone any accusations of any sort. Dismissed.” You held nothing but a blank look on your face as you stood up from the table, falling in line with the rest of your crewmates. Kuroo made the move to grab your hand, squeezing it in hopes of comforting you.

That evening, Ushijima called everyone to the common room for a follow up meeting, giving the new orders from mission control. The ship was to set course back to the colony - which meant the next four and a half months were dedicated to returning instead of following through with the mission. The ground rules were set as well - everyone was to partner up as much as possible based on who they shared the task shift with. All of your position-related tasks throughout the weeks had you partnered with Kuroo, unsurprisingly. However, the tasks that were a part of the chore system were the ones that you shared with others.

Thorough interviews were conducted by both Ushijima and mission control, but no evidence was found. There was no one to even be suspicious of.

The next two weeks were almost silent. That is, until a familiar alarm sounded. Five months into the journey, the second crewmate was killed. Futakuchi’s body was found by Oikawa and Kita in the corner of the storage room. As the same procedures were followed, there was no one that could’ve raised suspicion.

What was worse was that only four days later, you and Kuroo found Terushima’s body in the greenhouse.

The third death instigated the first fight between your crewmates. Everyone’s names and alibis were thrown around the room, and accusations were shouted endlessly. Everyone was scared, stressed, and angry.

“What about you, then?” Oikawa asked, his eyes meeting yours. “Your whole job is in the greenhouse.” Your eyes widened at his accusation.

“That’s fucking impossible, Oikawa. We’ve been together the whole morning, and you can check the damn cameras too. After finishing up in the lab, we went straight to the greenhouse, which, must I remind you, is on the opposite side of the goddamn ship.” Kuroo spoke up for you before you could even defend yourself. Everyone’s eyes widened in shock - Kuroo was never one to raise his voice in anger. Oikawa sighed, a guilty look in his eyes.

“I’m sorry. Not only to you, but for all of my accusations. I’m scared, but it doesn’t give me or anyone the right to do this.”

“Are you all done getting your emotions out?” Ushijima prompted, to which everyone nodded. “Good. I am just as frustrated and stressed as the rest of you are. As captain, it is my priority to protect my crewmates, and it is something I am failing at. We must all do our best to protect one another. Until we have any substantial evidence or eyewitness accounts, baseless accusations will get us nowhere.”

You were visibly shaken, and Ushijima gave Kuroo and you the rest of the day off. You couldn’t seem to forget the image of Terushima’s dead body out of your mind - the blood, the lack of life in his eyes.

Before entering your quarters, Kuroo pulled you into a tight embrace, his chin resting on the top of your head as you breathed into his chest. The both of you stood there in silence, arms wrapped around each other in comfort. You only pulled away when you heard him whisper your name.

“Do you trust me?” He asked. You furrowed your eyebrows in response.

“Why are you asking me that?” Kuroo held a desperate look in his eyes.

“Please, do you trust me?”

“Yes, I do. I trust you.” He sighed in relief, kissing your temple as he pulled you back in, murmuring his thanks over and over again like it was a prayer. 

“I will do everything in my power to protect you, okay?” In his arms, you felt safe.

For an entire month, nothing happened.

The ship was more silent than ever, everyone on edge as the days passed by. You were assigned to do maintenance on all the fuse boxes with Oikawa, the both of you slowly making your way around the ship. After eating lunch, your last stop was electrical - the both of you working simultaneously to get the task done. While Oikawa finished correcting the power levels, you calibrated the system.

It was your mistake to have your back turned - because all you heard was a vent door pop open suddenly, and next was Oikawa’s scream. Reacting immediately, you turned to find him struggling to not get pulled into the vent - both his legs were already in, and with all his strength, he tried to keep his torso above the floor.

Without thinking, you dived, grabbing one of his arms, bracing your feet against the wall to help keep him from the killer’s grasp as much as possible. You screamed for help as loud as you could, Oikawa crying, begging you to not let go.

Ushijima was making his rounds alone that day, when he heard the screams. Bursting into a sprint, he followed your voice with ease. He found you sobbing as you tried your best to hold on to Oikawa - almost half of his torso already through the vent. Just as Ushijima began to help pull Oikawa out, he let out the most pained scream before the tugging from underneath the floors stopped. The both of you quickly pulled him out of the vent, only to find a long, large gash that completely tore through nearly the entire length of his left leg.

You took off your uniform sweater, leaving you in a tank top, and you tied it as tight as you could around Oikawa’s thigh to try to minimize the blood flow to the wound. Ushijima threw his jacket to you as well, before quickly slamming on the intercom button, calling Daichi to report to the medbay asap.

Ushijima sent you to the medbay first to inform Daichi and help him prepare for what would be a stressful surgery - the captain following, carrying Oikawa as quickly as possible. By the time Ushijima set Oikawa down onto the operating table, the three remaining crewmates stood anxiously at the door.

You tried your best to keep your cool as you assisted Daichi - and after three long hours, the bleeding had stopped, and the wound was closed.

“He’s suffered massive trauma and has lost a lot of blood. The surgery might have gone well, but Oikawa isn’t out of the dark just yet. Is anyone compatible in giving to B negative?”

Kuroo stepped up, taking off his jacket immediately. “I’m O negative.” Daichi nodded, and walked away to start preparing for the vein to vein transfusion. As Ushijima updated Bokuto and Kita on the situation, Kuroo put his jacket around your shoulders before pulling you into a hug. Immediately, you broke down into his chest, his arms holding you tightly to prevent you from falling to the floor.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Oikawa is going to be okay. You’re going to be okay.” Within half an hour, Kuroo was able to give a liter of blood, and Oikawa began to slowly stabilize after that.

“Dinner will be held at 20:00 along with a meeting. Until then, I want the both of you to get rest. Daichi will continue to stay with Oikawa for the time being, and I will begin conducting the investigation.”

“Captain…” you started, but Ushijima shook his head.

“Don’t worry about me, lieutenant. Get some rest - you’ve been running on nothing but shock and adrenaline for the past three hours. Besides, Kuroo looks like he’s about to pass out from all the blood he just gave.”

As the two of you walked to the crew quarters, Kuroo’s hand found yours once more.

“Will you be okay?” He asked, his voice soft, barely above a whisper.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.” As you began to turn to unlock your door, he placed his hand on your jaw, his thumb lightly caressing your skin. In his eyes, Kuroo held a fond, yet sad look.

“You don’t have to lie. Not to me.” You sighed, leaning into his hand. When you opened your eyes, you found Kuroo still looking at you.

“What is it?”

“I - it’s nothing. You’re just beautiful, that’s all.” He moved to pull his hand away, but you caught it before it fell to his side.

“Will you stay with me?” You asked, your thumb drawing circles into his hand.

“If you want me to, I will.” With that, you unlocked your door, leading him inside your room. As you led him to your bed, he kicked off his shoes and helped you take off the jacket he had given to you earlier.

It was easy to fall asleep in his arms.

“After witnessing today’s events, the next things I say are out of observation - not accusation. The lieutenant and I physically pulled Oikawa from the vents. Daichi was in the medbay with them by the time I brought in Oikawa. All Bokuto, Kita, and Kuroo - you all were doing tasks in separate rooms, meaning none of you saw anyone do anything.” He paused, and when no one said anything, he continued.

“There is no way to prove which one of you is the killer - restraining all of you, even during separate times, will do no good. None of you will be able to complete tasks alone from now on. Because there is a camera inside of the medbay, everyone will be taking rotating shifts to monitor Oikawa. Whoever it is, I doubt it will be beneficial to attempt to murder him once more. I will be monitoring him first. If there are no questions, you all are dismissed to your quarters.”

“Lieutenant, may I speak with you privately for a moment?” Ushijima asked, as your crewmates began to leave the mess hall. Nodding, you sat back down.

“Do you care for some coffee?”

“No thank you, captain.”

“Very well.” You sat in silence as he poured coffee into his mug, turning around to lean against the kitchen counter as he looked at you. After a moment of silence and a sip from his mug, he spoke.

“I understand that you are close to Kuroo.”

“Captain - I - it’s not like that, I - ” your eyes were wide as you stuttered, but he motioned to silence you.

“I am not one to care or pry as long as it doesn’t negatively affect the crew dynamic. In fact, I’d entertain the idea of approval, if it weren’t for the current situation we have faced the past two months.” There was a slight pause, giving you time to say something if you chose to. When Ushijima was met with silence, he continued.

“I ask you this because I trust you to answer honestly. Are you suspicious of him?” Sighing, you collected your thoughts for a moment before answering him.

“As my crewmates, I trust all three of them equally.” You paused before speaking again. “None of them have acted in ways towards me that would make me feel uncomfortable or unsafe.”

“If it was Kuroo, and you found out, would you defend him?” Your eyes met his stoic olive ones.

“I don’t know.” Ushijima simply nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“I understand. You are a good person, lieutenant. Don’t forget that.”

You watched Oikawa as he napped - a small smile on your face. He was doing a lot better than he was just a few days ago. As he mumbled things in his sleep, you saw his fingers twitch - his eyebrows began to furrow, and his heart rate monitor began to beep faster. Immediately, you shook him awake, and his eyes fluttered open - they were filled with fear.

“Are you alright?” He tried to calm his breathing as he nodded.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I had a nightmare again.” You moved to grab his hand, squeezing it.

“Don’t apologize.”

“This is weird to say, because I know I didn’t see who it was. All I remember is the exact way his hands and fingers felt around me.” He looked up at you. “I can’t thank you enough for - if it weren’t for you, I’d be - ” squeezing his hand again, you stopped him.

“It’s alright. I know you would’ve done the same for me. You don’t need to relive it right now.”

The medbay door opened, revealing Kuroo, who had a small smile on his face. He walked in, hands in his pockets.

“Ready for another shift? Kita should be coming soon.” You nodded at him, squeezing Oikawa’s hand one more time before letting go.

“Kuroo, I never got to thank you for the transfusion.” Oikawa held a thankful look in his eyes, making the chemist smile. Kuroo clasped his shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Don’t worry about it, man. You’re my crewmate.”

Only you seemed to notice the spike in Oikawa’s heart rate.

Kuroo had made a grave mistake, he realized, as he wrestled Daichi in the mess hall. When he heard his name slip from your lips - he knew it was all over. Your unexpected interruption had provided the perfect distraction, allowing Daichi to flip him over and trap him in a restraint hold, cutting off his air supply until he fell unconscious.

As he regained consciousness, he found himself in the airlock, thick glass separating him and the remaining crew. Ushijima stood the closest, his thick arms crossed with a scowl on his face.

“Mission control has given me permission to protect my crew by any means necessary. Not only have you betrayed your crewmates, but you have murdered your friends and their soulmates.” Ushijima said, speaking through the intercom.

Kuroo only laughed. “So you’re going to kill whoever my innocent little soulmate is too?”

“To save the lives of twelve more people, I am willing to live with this decision.” Daichi stepped up after.

“You will freeze instantly once the airlock is depressurized. The temperature of the space vacuum outside is currently a crisp negative two-seventy celsius. You’re a chemist, so I’m sure you’ll be able to do the math.” Ushijima turned towards the crew.

“Do any of you have anything to say? Take the time now as I prepare the manual airlock commands.”

Bokuto walked up, glaring. “Oikawa told me to tell you that he hopes you have a good time in hell. I’m here to agree.” Kita opted to remain silent, leaving you. As you approached the glass, Kuroo’s arrogant demeanor changed instantly.

“I’m sorry. I thought I would’ve been able to hide it from you.” There were tears in your eyes as you placed your hand on the glass.

“Why did you do it? I trusted you.” Kuroo only let out a soft chuckle as he placed his hand in front of yours.

“Thank you for trusting me to protect you.”

“What did you expect to happen?” You cried, raising your voice. “Did you just expect to keep on killing until it was you and me left?”

“Maybe,” Kuroo said, smiling lovingly at you. “I never really had a plan. You know I’ve never been the type of guy to do that.”

Ushijima gave you the warning that he was about to flip the airlock switch. You turned your head to nod at your captain, before meeting Kuroo’s eyes once more. They held the same, fond look that he always had when he looked at you.

“If there is a next life, I promise we will meet again.”

That day, Ushijima was only able to save ten lives. He realized this as you fell to the ground just seconds after he flipped the switch - Bokuto barely catching you. The captain was a smart, calculating man - but he hadn’t factored in the thought that despite all odds, you had a chance of being Kuroo’s soulmate.

_Baby you don’t got to fight_

_I’ll be here til the end of time_

_Wishing that you were mine_

_Pull you in, it’s alright_

**Five**

You had never been scared of dying, even from a young age. Your whole life, you were always in and out of hospitals and clinics, each one diagnosing you wrong, giving you treatments that never seemed to work. After graduating high school, you insisted that you still wanted to attend college - your parents had the money. All you wanted to do was to spend what little time you had left as normally as possible.

Out of all lives, this was your shortest by far - not that it was saying much.

Kuroo, on the other hand, was leaping through life seemingly without a care in the world. He was happy, in college with a scholarship, and pursuing the career of his dreams. On weekends, he went out and enjoyed the city with his friends, and he never skipped leg day at the gym.

You always sat alone, Kuroo noticed. Every Wednesday and Friday, he would walk into your shared anthropology class to find you near the front of the lecture hall, adjacent to the wall, backpack in the seat next to you. He noticed that on Mondays, your attendance was always rare. The anthropology class was a detailed elective that taught about soulmates - and how past cultures and civilizations viewed soulmates.

“It is widely known and accepted that the only way to know if someone is your soulmate is to die and see if they die with you. While it is statistically very common for people to meet their soulmates, not many are willing to die on a whim to prove it. However, in rare cases, it is possible to identify soulmates without losing your life.” The professor clicked to the next slide.

“As you can see here on the left, we have a late Renaissance painting of an aristocratic Italian couple - identified as Lord and Lady Giovanna. And on the right, we see a modern photograph of the same couple, hundreds of years later. While it can be assumed that they are soulmates, what is really necessary to confirm this is historical context. We need some form of tangible evidence, whether it be death certificates or eyewitness accounts to prove that the past couple were in fact soulmates.”

“It is a widely accepted theory in the anthropological community, and it is even a belief in many religions worldwide, that all humans live more than just one lifetime. What can prove this is the existence of soulmates, and the theory that we all keep our faces as we move on to the next life.”

As the class began to pack their belongings, the professor reminded everyone of the homework. As Kuroo looked up to find your face, he only saw the back of your head as you exited the classroom. Sighing, he left his seat - he would try to talk to you before the next class started. He was done with simply sneaking glances at you throughout class.

To his disappointment, you didn’t show for the next two weeks.

That Sunday, he opted out of hanging out with his friends again - Kuroo had woken up feeling extremely exhausted, blaming it on his heavy workout the previous afternoon, followed by a night of drinking and karaoke. As he lay in bed that night, Kuroo found himself thinking about you, a person he never actually met. Maybe you had dropped the class, or transferred halfway through the semester?

He never woke up the next morning, despite being in perfect health. In his fifth life, Kuroo was unable to keep the promise he made in the last.

_I think we could do it if we tried_

_If only to say, you’re mine_

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

**Six**

The same, mysterious man always came to pick up flowers, every Thursday at three in the afternoon. You always were only able to catch small glimpses into his life, from what he told you - his first name, his favorite flower, and that he was close to his family. You had your own suspicions, of course, when you would notice things like a small cut on his cheekbone, the healing bruises on his knuckles, and the faint start of a neck tattoo that was only noticeable whenever his shirt had two buttons undone instead of one.

He was charming and handsome - you couldn’t deny that fact. He always flirted with you, whether it would be complementing your hair, your outfit, or your favorite - that your flowers were beautiful, but not as beautiful as you.

It was late on a Sunday evening, and you had decided that it was a good night to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and a new book. However, after two pages in, you were interrupted by the loud banging on your shop’s door from below. Your eyes widened as you set the book down, moving your curtains aside to look outside your living room window to try and get a good idea on what it could be. The banging persisted, and you realized that, thankfully, you weren’t being robbed. You were about to pass it off as a late-night drunkard, when the person’s face was briefly kissed by the light coming from the streetlamp.

It was no one other than your mysterious customer, who you only knew as Tetsurou.

Quickly, you ran down your stairs and unlocked the door that separated your apartment from your shop. As you made your way to the glass doors, you saw the weak smile on his face as he saw your figure emerge from the dark shop. As he supported himself with one arm against the door, you saw he was clutching his abdomen - and when he lifted his hand, that’s when you realized there was blood. Immediately, you unlocked the door and opened it.

“Good evening, kitten. Would it be a bother for me to come in?” He nearly fell over, but you managed to catch some of the weight. “I apologize. I’m usually not - ” he grimaced “this forward.”

Without asking any questions, you helped guide him into your store and then apartment, stopping only momentarily to relock the doors. Once you had managed to get him up the stairs, you quickly ushered him onto your sofa.

“What happened?” He groaned as he sunk into the cushions.

“I was just having dinner in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d stop by and say hello.”

“This isn’t the time to flirt with me. You show up, banging on my front door, blood all over your hands and shirt. This isn’t a crime show!” He only chuckled at your lecturing.

“Okay, I was in a small scuffle. I lost my friends while being chased, and it just so happens that I stumbled upon your shop. Better?” Rolling your eyes, you replied.

“That’s an okay enough answer for now. The people that were following you…” he waved his hand.

“They’ve been taken care of. Do you think you could help me?” You nodded, not in the mood to ask what he meant.

“Sure, but you really chose the wrong person. I’m not a nurse - I own a flower shop, if you haven’t noticed.”

When you returned from your bathroom with two towels and rubbing alcohol, you saw that he had taken off his jacket and laid it under him to not get your sofa stained, his ruined and ripped dress shirt abandoned on the floor. If it weren’t for the long gash on across the right side of his stomach, you would have blushed at the sight of his bare torso.

However, what drew your interest the most was the tattoos that lay all across his chest, creeping down his arms and crossing over his shoulders onto his back. The pattern was intricate and beautiful, waves crashing and flowing across his skin, calm in some areas, while stormy and violent in others. Your suspicions were correct, but you knew it wasn’t the time to ask.

“I think you’ll be happy to know that you wont need to put any stitches in me.” Pulling a chair over, you sat in front of him.

“That’s a bummer. I was getting excited about getting to stab you with a needle.” Your comment left him wide-eyed as you soaked some of the towel you brought with the disinfectant.

“You’re not - being serious… right?”

As you tied makeshift bandages from a worn out shirt around his stomach, he couldn’t help but laugh. He wasn’t blind to the growing blush that rested on your cheeks as your fingers brushed his skin.

“You know, this is rather romantic.” You looked up, shooting him a glare.

“I don’t necessarily appreciate the fact that I’m nursing a gangster at the moment, you know.” You meant it teasingly for the most part, but the look in his eyes turned apologetic as he sighed, his shoulders deflating.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drag you into all of this. I’ll make sure that the cops and other orgs don’t come snooping around.” His tone was soft as he apologized. As you tied off the cloth, securing it as best you could, you shot him a small smile.

“As long as you make it up to me over dinner, I’ll think about forgiving you.” He gave you the biggest smile you’d ever seen on him.

The next morning, you opened up your shop like nothing had happened. You greeted customers, arranged orders, and made sure all your flowers were kept as fresh as possible.

As you carried a vase with a beautiful arrangement out from the back to put it on display, it slipped from your grasp, shattering onto the floor as you followed it soon after.

The next day, the main headline across the city’s daily newspaper read “Infamous mafia boss gunned down by police. Is this the end of Nekoma’s reign of terror?”

_Honey, I don’t want it to fade_

_There’s things that I know could get in the way_

_But, I don’t want to say goodbye_

_And I think that we could do it if we tried_

**Seven**

The supply run was supposed to be simple. Kuroo knew he should’ve been more careful. He knew he should’ve stayed by your side instead of splitting up to find more supplies. As he stared into your tear-filled eyes, trying to stop the bleeding from the fresh bite wound on your neck, all he could feel was regret.

The group had scouted the abandoned warehouse store multiple times. It had seemed completely untouched, and the two of you got the green light to go in. But now, it had been days since the two of you were supposed to be back from the run. As Akaashi and Bokuto quickly ran through the seemingly empty warehouse, the dark-haired man couldn’t ignore the sense of dread he felt.

Akaashi stood in front of his crying boyfriend, shotgun raised. The look in your eyes was glossed over and blank as you slowly raised your head away from Kuroo’s half-eaten body, his blood dripping from your mouth.

“I’m sorry.”

_I think we could do it if we tried_

_If only to say, you’re mine_

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

**Eight**

You stood tall beside your father’s side, as the elder man gripped the corners of his chair. You had already shed your tears the night before, and you did your best to stay strong. In order to save your captured father, the daimyo of Nerima, his men had gone against the shogun’s orders.

As a result, they were ordered by the shogun to perform seppuku in order to restore your family’s name.

Your eyes locked with Kuroo’s as he sat down with his fellow samurai. He couldn’t smile to comfort you, but he never took his eyes off of you. He hoped his eyes said all the words he still had left to say.

As the men pulled their swords out, a tear slipped down your cheek. As the man who led the betrayal, Kuroo would be the first to perform the act.

_You snuck into Kuroo’s room the night before. You sat in his arms, tears falling uncontrollably. You couldn’t help but curse the shogun - yes, your father was safe. But, at what cost?_

_He said nothing as he let you cry, stroking your hair, kissing your tears away one by one. You looked up, into his doe eyes - finding a look of love in them. With a hand, he wiped away the next tear that fell, stroking your cheek lovingly. Kuroo tilted his head, his lips meeting yours in a soft, yet passionate kiss. As you wrapped your arms around his shoulders and neck, he laid you down onto the futon, deepening the kiss. Your fingers wrapped around his robe, slipping it off his shoulders. Breaking the kiss, Kuroo pulled away, slipping the robe off his torso._

_His large frame loomed over you, and he kissed you once more. Pulling away again, a hand came to caress your cheek once more, his other resting beside your head. His baritone voice was nearly at a whisper as he said your name._

_“I will search for you through a thousand worlds and ten thousand lifetimes until I find you.”_

_“And I will wait for you in all of them.”_

Kuroo kept a brave face as he slid his sword into his abdomen, keeping his eyes on yours as he swiftly ran the blade through his belly.

_I think we could do it if we tried_

_I think we could do it if we tried_

**Nine**

It was a hot, summer day, and you were glad that the third-year history field trip was inside the Edo-Tokyo Museum. Initially, you were grateful that Kuroo and Yaku were in your group, but as you were led into the local historical section, you proved yourself wrong.

With wide eyes, you stared at the painting in front of you. You were barely registering what the tour guide was saying, her words like white noise in your ears. You couldn’t help but feel like you were staring into a mirror. Kuroo on the other hand, who was standing next to you, was deeply interested in what she had to say.

“The painting in front of you is one of the few artifacts that remarkably survived from the Nerima Castle ruins after it was burned down. Being from Nekoma High, I am sure you are all aware of the famous rebellion of the clan against the shogun of Tokyo, which resulted in the saving of the daimyo, but the seppuku of all the clan’s samurai. Historical records were unable to identify the samurai in the painting, but it is confirmed that the person sitting next to him was his fiancé and as well as the child of the last daimyo of Nerima. Scrolls found in the shogun’s library documented the mass seppuku as well, and it is even stated in the observations that the couple were soulmates as well, since it came as a complete shock when the daimyo’s only heir dropped dead right after the leader of the samurai was the first to perform the act.”

“Wow,” Yaku commented from your other side, pulling out his phone. “You know Kuroo, that ugly samurai guy kinda looks like you, just without your shitty haircut.” Kuroo’s face flushed in embarrassment as he turned to his shorter teammate, only to find him taking a photo.

“I do not! You’re just jealous that my hair contains more keratin fibers than yours!”

On the train ride back and during practice, you remained silent. You tried convincing yourself that it was just a coincidence that the couple looked like you and Kuroo. You knew all about the different soulmate theories, surprisingly thanks to Yamamoto - but there was no way that the both of you were soulmates… right? The idea seemed too good to be true.

As you were refilling the team’s water bottles, you overheard Yaku making fun of Kuroo as he passed his phone around, showing the others the photo he took of the painting.

“You know, our manager kinda looks like them.” Lev said offhandedly as he wiped the sweat off his neck, nearly making you drop the water bottles in your arms. Kuroo squinted his eyes at his kouhai, and you began walking back to the boys, hoping that giving them their bottles would get them to stop talking about the subject.

“What was that, Lev? You makin’ fun of me?” As the phone reached Yamamoto, he gasped, his eyes welling up.

“Kuroo-san, I am so jealous! Your crush is not only our precious manager, but your soulmate!” Manly tears streamed down his face as he clenched a fist into his chest. Immediately, you dropped the water bottles in shock at what Yamamoto loudly exclaimed - making the team turn towards you, their eyes wide. Kuroo’s face was completely red.

“Ah… you didn’t hear that, right?” You could feel your face heating up as everyone stayed silent, continuing to stare.

“I - I need to get your uniforms out of the dryer.” You stuttered out, turning away as quickly as you could, practically sprinting towards the gym doors. The team was silent as they watched you leave, before all eyes returning to rest on their captain. Kenma rolled his eyes, walking over to pick up his dropped water bottle. He was the first to speak.

“You know, you should probably go after them.” Kuroo nearly glared at his friend.

“No, there is no way I’m doing that. With that kind of reaction, I’m sure it’ll just end with them rejecting me.” This prompted a lengthy sigh from the setter.

“For someone who’s supposed to be really good at reading other people, you’re absolutely blind.”

“I - Kynma! That’s not - ”

“Besides,” Kenma started, cutting Kuroo off. “The quicker you go and talk about it, the quicker I can go home and level up.”

Kuroo nearly sprinted towards the gym’s laundry room. As he burst through the door, he found you folding their uniforms. You immediately stopped in your tracks, your hands pausing midair - you didn’t have to look up to know who it was. He said nothing as he closed the door and walked up to you.

“If I could rearrange the periodic table, I would put Uranium next to Iodine, because the universe wants to see U and I together.” You couldn’t help but laugh as Kuroo broke through the tension. He chuckled along with you, glad that you hadn’t slapped him. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck before talking.

“Look, I - I like you a lot. To be honest, actually, I think I’m in love with you - and I have been for a while. I understand if you want to say no, but I’d really like to show that to you and take you out. On a date.” It was your turn to sigh.

“Kuroo - it’s… It’s not that I wouldn’t want that.” You finally took the chance to turn your head to glance up at him for a moment, your cheeks tinted red. “I really like you, but being your soulmate sounds too good to be true. I don’t want you to think we’re soulmates, and then end up disappointed when I’m not all you would want in one.”

Taken aback, Kuroo let out an “eh?” then reaching out to grab your hand, tugging you gently to turn your body to face his before enveloping your other hand in his. You kept your face down, not having the confidence to look him in the eye.

“If you really are my soulmate, then that alone would make me the happiest man on Earth. There’s nothing you could do that would not make me want to be with you. Do you understand?” When you said nothing, he continued.

“Besides,” Kuroo took a small pause to lean down, leveling his eyes with yours, “you’ve already admitted to liking me back. There’s no way you can take that back now.” You flushed at how close his face was to yours - and you couldn’t help but glance down at his lips. If you were any closer to him, you were sure you’d be able to feel his breath against your skin.

“So, what do you say? I think we could do it if we try.” All you could do was nod, making Kuroo smirk.

“Is it alright if I kiss you?” Instead of responding, you quickly closed the distance between the both of you, kissing Kuroo. As he moved his hands to cup your face, you realized how right it felt. 

Maybe, the two of you were soulmates after all.

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

_Sofia know that you and I_

_Shouldn’t feel like a crime_

* * *

**BONUS**

The players stood in complete awe as they watched Kuroo talk with you, his hand reaching to brush a strand of hair away from your face. You had saved the last watermelon slice for him, and Kuroo gave you a short, sweet kiss to give his thanks.

“When did Kuroo-san and Nekoma’s manager start dating?” Daichi asked, before taking a bite out of his watermelon. Suga sighed at his captain’s question.

“They are cute, too.”

“I believe it was earlier this summer. They found out they were soulmates.” It was Akaashi that had answered.

“Really? I heard that it’s rare.”

“I can’t believe it.” Bokuto muttered, a blank look in his eyes. Turning to his friend, he pouted. “Akaaaaashiii, do you think I’ll meet my soulmate?”


End file.
